


Carve Me a Memory

by deirdre_aithne



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-24
Updated: 2012-11-24
Packaged: 2017-11-19 09:08:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/571608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deirdre_aithne/pseuds/deirdre_aithne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They'd started coming the Christmas after the war – one carefully preserved and intricately carved sculpture a year, neatly wrapped in maroon paper.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Carve Me a Memory

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to Maggie for the swift beta job!

They'd started coming the Christmas after the war – one carefully preserved and intricately carved sculpture a year, neatly wrapped in maroon paper.

The first year, it had been a lioness, standing proud and tall on a pile of what could have been the crumbled columns of a building. At first, Hermione had thought it might be made of glass, before she reached into the box to remove it. She had very nearly dropped it when the ice sucked all the heat from her fingers in a matter of seconds, and since then, she had always levitated the sculptures to their new home on the bookshelf in the sitting room. A few carefully placed charms preserved them for year-round display, and although it cost her enough space for at least ten more books, she left the top shelf clear of everything but the small sculptures, the closest thing to a place of honour as she had in her small flat.

Originally, she had thought it was one of the admirers she had acquired after the Battle. Someone who didn't really know _her_ , but knew of Hermione Granger. When the second year rolled around, however, and she woke on Christmas morning to a finely crafted sculpture of an otter lazing in a stream, she was no longer so sure. The form of her Patronus had never been common knowledge outside of the Order and members of Dumbledore's Army, which had narrowed the list of possibilities significantly.

The third year brought a house-elf, dressed in old rags, and Hermione had very nearly tossed that sculpture out before she had taken a closer look. Standing on a stack of books, the elf held it's head up proudly, and she had laughed with delight upon seeing the S.P.E.W. Badge pinned on its chest. And when the fourth year came, and she tore open the shining paper to find a bushy-haired girl sitting cross-legged in front of a fire with a book splayed across her lap, Hermione's breath had caught in her throat.

A small snake, nearly unnoticeable, peered out from a small gap in the stacks, watching the girl.

 _"What is this?"_ she had demanded of Malfoy, brandishing the sculpture at him the day after Christmas as they both prepared for their shift at St Mungo's. Pulling on his healer's robes, Malfoy had arched an eyebrow at her without even looking at the object in her hand.

_"I would assume it is an ice sculpture, by the look of it. Do you require my assistance identifying any other knickknacks of yours, Granger, or may I get to work, now?"_

He'd turned away, then, putting his back to her as he reached for the handle of the lounge door.

 _"_ You _sent it to me,"_ she had said, and Malfoy had frozen for a moment before striding from the room without either confirming or denying the accusation. The year had passed then without either of them mentioning it again. Hermione had placed the sculpture up with the others, considering them all more than once as the months wore on, and when December came around once more, a strange idea had settled in her mind.

 

"Granger," Draco greeted as he entered the lounge at the end of their shift on Christmas Eve. "Is there any particular reason you are leaning yourself against my locker?"

Smiling faintly, Granger shrugged her shoulders.

"It's Christmas in a few hours," she said, looking down as she reached into a pocket of her oversized coat. When she withdrew a box wrapped in emerald paper, his heart began to pound in his ears, and he carefully kept his expression neutral as she handed him the gift. "I thought I'd wait around to give you your present."

"Granger-"

"I'm heading to the Leaky for a while for some cider," Granger continued, moving past him for the door. She paused to look back at him from the doorway, and he watched her smile turn crooked. Uncertain.

"You're welcome to join me if you like."

And with that, she was gone, leaving Draco alone in the lounge with the small box still held in his hand. Looking down at it once more, he slowly pulled the paper open, careful not to tear any of it, until he revealed a small box inside and removed the lid. Inside, a small dragon carved from ice looked up at him, and Draco let the box fall to the floor as he gently lifted the sculpture up and perched it on his palm. Its expression, if it could be said to have one, was calm, and there were the beginnings of wisps of smoke leaving its snout, giving it the look of just exhaling.

"Granger!" he snapped loudly as he placed the sculpture carefully into his locker and secured it there with charms before he snicked the lock into place again. "Wait for me."


End file.
